BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College softball team defeated the University of Dubuque (Iowa), 11-10, and Bethany Lutheran (Minn.) College, 17-3, on the final day of its annual spring break trip. This spring, BW played at the Tucson Invitational Tournament in Tucson, Arizona for the first time and finished with a 7-3 overall record.

 

The Yellow Jackets opened the Dubuque contest trailing 7-0 after the top of the third inning. B-W clawed back with a run in the third inning and two more in the fourth to trail 7-3. In the fifth, the Yellow Jackets took the lead with six runs for a 9-7 advantage. After a scoreless sixth frame, Dubuque re-took the lead with three runs in the top of the seventh for a 10-9 lead and set the stage for a dramatic Yellow Jacketr comeback.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, the first two B-W batters reached base via errors. Then, with two outs, sophomore All-Ohio Athletic Conference and All-Central Region catcher Tanya Davis (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) stroked a double in the gap to score freshman pinch-runner Kim Parkinson (Stow) with the tying run and junior second baseman Lauren Sabolik (Strongsville) with the winning run.

 

Offensively, Davis, Sabolik and junior transfer centerfielder Mallory Kobak (Independence) led the way with three hits each. Davis also scored a run, hit a solo homerun in the six-run fifth and had a team-high four runs batted-in, Sabolik scored three runs and drove in one and Kobak had two RBI. In addition, sophomore shortstop Katrina Resek (Strongsville) had a pair of hits and scored a pair of runs and senior first baseman Caitlin Myor (Sheffield Lake/ Elyria Senior) blasted her third homer of the season, a two-run shot and two batters after Davis� clout.  On the mound, sophomore Mackenzie Rohrbacher (Sandusky/ Senior) started before giving way to freshman Sarah Baker (Mentor/ Lake Catholic). Baker tossed the final four and one-third innings to improve to 3-2 overall.

 

Against Bethany Lutheran, B-W led 4-0 after one inning, 11-1 after two innings, 14-3 after three frames and 17-3 after four, and the Jackets didn't bat in the fifth due to the 'mercy rule'.

 

Offensively, Myor and Kobak led way with three hits each and junior third baseman Megan Coyne (Valley City/ LaGrange Keystone),  Davis and freshman RF Meredith Fogg (Sandusky/ Senior) each had a pair of base hits. Myor's two hits included a three-run homer in the first inning and a three-run shot in the second frame. She also totalled seven RBI. Kobak scored three runs and stole two bases, Davis scored three times and had three RBI and Fogg scored twice and had a pair of RBI. On the mound, Rohrbacher threw all five innings and picked up the victory to improve to 3-1 overall.

  

On the trip, Mallory Kobak led all hitters with a .622 batting average on a team-leading 23 base hits in 37 at-bats with 15 runs scored, 14 stolen bases and seven RBI. Tanya Davis was second at .528 (19-of-36) with a team-leading five doubles and 17 runs scored and she ranked second with 20 RBI. Megan Coyne hit an even .500 (16-of-32) with 14 runs scored, a team-leading three triples and eight RBI. Caitlin Myor hit .472 (17-of-36) with a team-leading five homers and 24 RBI. In addition, Katrina Resek hit .364 and junior transfer Chelsea Saunders (Medina/ Highland) hit .343 to round out the .300 or better batters.

 

ON the mound, Mackenzie Rohrbacher was 3-1 overall with a team-leading 1.98 earned run average in seven appearances, including five starts, and covering 28 and one-third innings pitched with a team-leading 24 strikeouts. Sarah Baker was 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA in five appearances, including four starts, covering a team-leading 33 and one-third innings with 21 strikeouts. In addition, sophomore Alyssa Brosious (Westfield, N.Y./ Westfield Academy and Central School) was 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two appearances.

 

B-W next plays on Saturday and Sunday, March 21-22 when they travel to Maryville, Tennessee and play Emory (Ga.) University and host Maryville on Saturday and Spalding (Ky.) University and Emory on Sunday.

 

The first northern games are schedule for Tuesday, March 24 against Ohio Wesleyan University at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds Field at 3:30 p.m. B-W opens Ohio Athletic Conference play on Saturday, March 28 at Mount Union College in Aliance at 1:00 p.m.

 

FOR  MORE  INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at (440) 826-2327 and via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Nick Minerd by phone at (440) 826-2780 and via e-mail at nminerd@bw.edu.  To contact Head Coach Tom Spencer, please call him at (440) 826-3988 in his office and e-mail him at tspencer@bw.edu.  More information may be accessed on the B-W athletics page at www.bw.edu/athletics.